Sport bis ins hohe Alter!

 

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Zusammenfassung

Master-Athleten nehmen bis ins hohe Alter an Wettkämpfen teil. Studien mit diesen Athleten liefern aufschlussreiche Information darüber, ob lebenslanges körperliches Training die muskuläre Leistungsfähigkeit erhalten und ob es Gebrechlichkeit im Alter verhindern kann. In der Tat haben Sprinter in jedem Lebensalter eine 15 % höhere Leistungsfähigkeit und festere Knochen als Normalpersonen. Allerdings sinkt die Sprintfähigkeit mit zunehmendem Alter, und zwar im selben Maß wie die Ausdauerfähigkeit. Auch das Extra an Knochenmasse geht im Alter verloren. Den Muskel schützt lebenslanges Training dagegen vor Sarkopenie: Die Muskelmasse und die Anzahl der motorischen Einheiten ist bei Altersathleten deutlich höher als bei einer Kontrollpopulation. Hören Master-Athleten auf zu trainieren, verschwinden vor allem die metabolischen Effekte relativ schnell: Die Insulinresistenz erreicht bereits nach zehn Tagen Trainingspause das Niveau der Normalbevölkerung. Master-Athleten profitieren nicht nur von den physiologischen Effekten, sondern auch von der Gemeinschaft mit Gleichgesinnten, die als sehr belebend empfunden wird.

Abstract

Master athletes keep competing in sports in their old age. Studies on these athletes provide information on questions if lifelong physical training can maintain muscular performance and prevent frailty in old age. Indeed, sprinters at any age have a 15 % higher ability and denser bone mass than normal individuals. However, the sprinting ability decreases with the advancement of age, namely to the same extent as endurance capacity. The additional bone mass also reduces with increasing age. Lifelong training, however, protects muscle against sarcopenia. Muscle mass and the number of motor units are much higher among older athletes than in control populations. When master athletes stop training, it is primarily the metabolic effects that fade rapidly. After already ten days, insulin resistance is on the same level as in the general population.

Master athletes not only benefit from the physiological effects of training but also from a community of equally minded individuals, which is felt by this group as highly euphoric.

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